History
In May of 1991, Steve Fromm, a businessman and parent of two children in elementary school, first shared his vision of creating an educational foundation for Arlington Heights School District 25.
Residents of District 25 had just approved an increase in the District’s education fund through a referendum, but by only a narrow margin. Passage of the referendum had involved hundreds of volunteers spending countless hours informing the public of the needs of our schools. Steve saw in this effort the enthusiasm and support of many residents and believed that the community, particularly parents, would be willing to become involved in a different way to further children’s education. He also believed that developing other ways of obtaining revenue would help alleviate the pressure on the taxpayers of Arlington Heights.
Steve’s vision was for parents and the business community to form a partnership with District 25 through an educational foundation-a foundation that could fund enhancements that would otherwise not be affordable. The foundation could supply the schools with “extras” that would reinforce the educational goals of the District without using tax dollars.
Steve researched educational foundations in other communities, drew on his own experience on the Alumni Board of the University of Illinois, and enlisted the support of a few other District 25 families. The ABC/25 Foundation (A Better Community Through Excellence in Education/District 25) was established in the fall of 1991.
Original ABC/25 Logo:
ABC/25 Foundation 